Premier League Stats
The overall Head-to-Head record in the Premier League era is still in their favour with them winning 25 (out of the 48 times the two have played each other) compared to our 16 wins; and the remaining seven being draws. The last five Recent Meetings record is also a mixed bag of results (two wins each, and a draw) which suggests that we haven't really shaken them off in the last decade or so as we have some other teams.
The Form Guide below obviously doesn't count for much given it's previous season's last five (league) games and with this being the first game of the season, the Season So Far stats are blank as well. I am, out of habit and for the sake of uniformity of these Pre-Match Threads, sticking to the format used last season and these sections will populate and become all the more relevant in next few games.
Before & After
The first few games of the season generally have the feel of pre-season lingering on with some players not back yet and some ahead in their match-fitness etc. But for us playing five of last season's top six in our first five away games, we'll have to get up to speed very quickly.
Would their North London derby (albeit a pre-season friendly) before this game have the same intensity as our game before? Here's what comes before (and after) for the two clubs:
Tottenham Hotspur
Sun 8 - 2:00pm - Arsenal (H) - Pre-Season
Sun 15 - 4:30pm - City (H) - PL
Sun 22 - 2:00pm - Wolves (A) - PL
Manchester City
Sat 7 - 5:15pm - Leicester (N) - The Shield
Sun 12 - 4:30pm - Spurs (A) - PL
Sat 21 - 3:00pm - Norwich (H) - PL
Forget Harry Kane
2021/22 starts here and it is the Harry Kane team first up ... but all the Kane talk this time is for different reasons. With him returning late at Spurs, which has effectively ruled him out of this season opener, let's leave that side-show on the side for now.
Actually I am not sure if the on-field Harry Kane has ever been a big concern for us as our defenders at large have always dealt with him. Off the top of my head, it's Son Heung-min who has troubled us a lot more than Kane has in the recent past and Son will be on the pitch next week. Adding to that is their newly appointed manager, Nuno Espírito Santo, who has had success against us playing a counter-attacking style with Wolves and combining that with Son's pace is something we'd need to be watchful of.
I mentioned the mixed bag of results against them in the Recent Meetings above and I am not sure if their constant changing of managers has something to do with it. We just seem to be facing them with a different manager each time we play them (although that is factually correct for only the last two games and this upcoming one).
Talking of the past results, and this being an away games ... another thing that bugs me still is that while we have (in the last decade) pretty much sorted all other teams that we had a poor away record against (e.g. Arsenal and Everton), we still haven't really shaken this lot off and Spurs away remains a tricky fixture for us even when we have gone there well in-form and as favourites.
If that Harry Kane transfer saga wasn't enough on its own, this being the first game of the season, full squads not available yet, match-fitness and sharpness of almost all players unknown, new signings not bedded in yet and a new manager for them ... oh, and players having to play with fans back in the stadium after a season and a half of playing without crowds. All of this makes an already unpredictable game even more unpredictable, if that was even possible.
With Foden and De Bruyne already out with injuries suffered during the Euros and unknown return dates, the only thing I wish for here is no more injuries. Taking of wishes, of course I want us to win and win so big that we are top of the table on goal difference by the end of Gameweek 1 (and then remain there for the rest of the season) but yes in more realistic terms I'd probably be okay with a point and no injuries as well.
Team Selection
With players coming back on different dates and with different levels of fitness and training in their legs, expect a team rather similar to the one that started against Leicester in the Community Shield. With the exception of Ederson coming back in to replace Steffen and maybe, just maybe, Grealish possibly in the starting XI instead of the bench. English players are joining up with the squad this weekend so one possibility is that all of Walker, Stones and Sterling could very well be thrown in the mix from the start as well.
And Pep won't be Pep if he didn't start Grealish in a different position to what he has ever played in before, so probably start him deeper in an 8 (where Bernardo is currently slotted in my line-up below) just behind Sterling and then maybe move him up later with Bernardo replacing Sterling on that left side (and pushing Grealish further forward). Of course all this is speculation on my part to give us some talking points and it could very well be as straight forward as this ...
I think it's a tossup between Mendy and Zinchenko at left-back and maybe between Torres and Jesus up front as well but purely looking at who has arrived when in the pre-season, I can see Mendy and Torres starting with the other two coming on as subs to get some minutes in their legs towards the end if we're winning, or if one of the starters is having a stinker. Depending on who gets subbed and when, Rodri is another one who could get some minutes in the middle.
And since Spurs play in white, this game will also debut our home kit for the new season ...
Score Prediction
With Kane watching from the stands, let's make him think hard about which side he wants to be in!
Tottenham Hotspur 1 - 3 Manchester City
